Paddle-wheel for vessels



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

R. BUOHER. PADDLE WHEEL FOR VESSELSI No. 415,611. Patented Nov. 19,1889.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. R. BUGHER. PADDLE WHEEL FOR VESSBLS.

No. 415,611. Patented Nov. 19, 1889.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. B. BUOHER.

PADDLE WHEEL FOB VESSELS. No. 415,611. Patented Nov. 19. 1889.

NQ'FETERSA PhoImI-rlhcgnpher. Wzshmktvn. n11

UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE.-

REIN HARD BUCHER, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK.

PADDLE-WHEEL FOR VESSELS. Y

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 41 5,611, datedNovember 19, 1889. Application filed January 29, 1889- Serial No.297,905. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, REINHARD BUCHER, of Yonkers, in the county oflVest-chester, and in the State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Ship-Propellers; and I do hereby declare thatthe fol lowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1shows in plan view the gearing which I prefer for driving the wheels ofmy ship-propelling mechanism; Fig. 2, a view in side elevation of thestern of a vessel, showing my propeller in place, part of the hull andof the shaft-supporting bearing being broken away; Fig. 3, a bottom planview of the same with the wheel-protecting 'shoe removed, and Fig. 4 arear elevation of the vessel with the wheels and shoe in place.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of thefigures.

The object of my invention is to provide improved propelling mechanismfor vessels; and to this end my invention consists in the propellingmechanism and in the construction, arrangement,-and combination of theparts thereof, as hereinafter specified.

In the drawings, A designates the hull of the vessel, which can be ofany desired form,

material, or construction.

As shown in Fig. 4, the bottom of the vessel is rounded, as usual, andprovided with a suitable keel. At its stern or rear endthe hull isprovided on opposite sides of the rudder-post with two recesses B B welldown toward the bottom of the hull. Each of these recesses is open atits outer and rear sides. At its forward side the wall of the recessruns at first directly inward and then rearward a concave curve, thoughnot necessarily so.

lVith thisconstruction any water thrown or forced from the rear forwardagainst the innor wall of either recess will be directed by such wallboth outward and downward toward the open side of the recess.

spective shaft.

attached to suitable supporting frames or timbers within the vessel. Iprefer to support each shaft and hold it against up or down thrust bythe respective bearing E so that none of the weight of the shaft orstrain of its thrust shall come upon the shoe. The

steps or bearings E Eon the shoe need then to serve only to steady theshafts and hold them in line with their upper supportingbearing's. Theselatter bearings I prefer to make as shown in the drawings, (See Figs. 2and 4.) A block (2, supported on and secured to a suitable foundation (2within the vessel, has in it a vertical groove adapted to form ahalf-bearing for a portion 6 of the re- A half box or bearing 6 boltedto the block 6, serves to complete the shaft-bearing and toentirelyinclose the shaft portion 6 On the shaft, respectively above andbelow the journal box or hearing thus formed, are the shoulders e e. Theupper shoulder efl'resting, as shown, upon the upper end or top of thebearing, serves to support the weight of the shaft and wheel thereon,while the lower shoulder, engaging the under side of the bearing, takesall upward thrust of the shaft and keeps the lower end of the shaft downin its bearing on shoe D. Upon the upper end of each shaft, above itsupperbearing, is a Worm-wheel F, which gears with and is driven by aworm F on a horizontal shaft F supported in suitable bearings within thevessel. There is one of these shafts for each wheel-shaft.

Any desired form of motor can be used to drive the worm-shafts; but itis intended that each shaft shall be connect-ed with a separate engine,so that the two shafts can be rotated independently of each other at,different speeds and in either direction.

I have shown no motor or engine for rotating the shafts, as any desiredone of the well: known forms of engines can be used for such purposewithout departure from my invention.

While Ido not limit myself to any particular kind of means fordrivingthe worm-shafts, I also desire it to be understood that I do notconfine myself to the worm-gearing shown as connecting the driving andthe wheel-carrying shafts. Instead of the worm-gearing a bevel-pinionand gear can be used, as will be well understood .by any mechanic.

In the drawings I have shown but one bearing for each worm-shaftsupporting the rear end of the same. Such bearing can be adapted toprevent end-thrust of the wormshaft in either direction, as is thebearing for the upper end of each wheel-shaft, or to prevent rearwardmovement of the shaft only,while another bearing (not shown) takes upend-thrust in the other direction.

The wheels E E are, as shown, four-bladed ones; but I do not limitmyself to such number of blades. Each wheel consists, essentially, of ahub e, fixed on the respective shaft, and the blades 6 e", projectingoutward from the hub, of such length as to extend beyond the outer openside of the wheelrecess into position to engage the water passing therecess as the vessel moves through the water. As with the wheel-recessessituated low down in the stern, as shown and described, the direction ofthe flow of the water from the ships bottom past the wheel-recess isupward as well as rearward, I set the blades of the respective wheels atan angle to the hub-axis, so that the blades shall be at right angles tothe flow of the water coming within their reach. With a wheel shaft andhub vertical and fiat blades set in planes radial from the hub-axis theblades would not, I have found by experience, strike into and engage thewater reaching them so as to get the best hold thereon. The blades of mywheels are therefore set at an angle to the respective wheel or shaftaxis substantially equal to the angle of inclination of the upwardrearward, movement of the water past the Wheel recess.

To counteract the tendency of the blades so set to force the waterengaged by them upward as well as rearward as the wheel turns to movethe blades projecting beyond the re cess side rearward to force thevessel forward, and to prevent the tendency of the wheels to submergethestern, I curve the upper and outer portions of the blades over andforward with reference to the travel of the blades as the wheelsrevolve-in the direction just stated. This curvature can be made toextend throughout the upper portion of the blade to the. point ofattachment to the hub; but that is not necessary. With the upper andouter portions of the blades thus bent the direction of the flow of thewater which reaches and is engaged by the wheel-blades will be changedfrom an upward and rearas to speed to be obtained without tendency tosubinergence of the stern.

In order to secure easy clearance of the water as it travels rearwardoff of a blade, and to prevent, as far as possible, the carrying of thewater around inward and forward within the wheel-recess, I prefer tobend the outer and lower-portion of each blade slightly rearward withreference to the travel of the blade as the wheel revolves to move thevessel forward, so that the outer edge of this portion of the bladestands about in a plane radial from the wheel-axis, as shown in Fig. 2.IVith this construction the water will, as a blade travels aroundinward, pass easily rearward off of the blade, instead of being carriedaround with the blade inward and forward within the wheel-recess.

As some water will be caused by the rotation of the wheels to How intothe rear sides of the wheel-recesses and then forward, I make the innerwalls of the recesses curved, as shown in the drawings and describedhereinbefore. 'With this curvature of the recesswalls there is noobstruction to the free flowing of any water around through one of therecesses. The recess-wall, with its curvature set forth, directs thewater striking it forward and outward, while its downward and forwardinclination gives the water a downward inclination. As it issues fromthe forward por tion of the recess, the water will then have a downwardas well as outward direction.

In order to correspond with the shape of the inner wall of therespective recess, the upper portions of the blades of each Wheel aremade slightly shorter than the lower portions, so that as seen in frontor rear elevation each blade has the line of its outer edge curvedslightly upward and inward.

In order to prevent the rudder being jammed around against either wheel,I provide on the vessels stern, on opposite sides, the shoulders orstops F F to engage and stop the rudder before it moves far enough tostrike a wheel. I prefer to carry the rudder well out to the rear of orbeyond the wheels,

as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, so that the water thrown inward and rearwardin opposite directions by the action of the two wheels will, uponstriking the sides of the rudder, be turned directly to the rearthereby. With the wheels rotating with equal speed in opposit-edirections, as when the vessel is being propelled forward, the action ofthe water thrown against the opposite sides of the rudder by the wheelswill be equal, and there will be no tendency to turn the rudder one wayor the other. The rudder will therefore re main in its central position,and the vessel will move forward in a straight line. If the rudder beturned to one side, the water striking it from the wheels will bedirected by the rudder to that side, and because of wheels rotating onupright axes on opposite.

sides of the stern of the vessel and having their blades set at an angleto their axes, the lower portions of said blades moving in advance ofthe upper portionsthereof when the vessel is moving forward,substantially as described.

2. As a means for propellingvcssels, two wheels rotating on uprightaxes, the blades of said wheels being set at an angle to said axes, thelower portions of said blades moving in advance of the upper portionsthereof when the vessel is moving forward, said wheels being situated onopposite sides of the stern of the vessel and with their outer blades inengaging position with the water, substantially as described.

In combination with the hull of a vessel having recesses on oppositesides of the stern, the wheels rotating on vertical axes in saidrecesses, the blades of said wheels being set at an angle to said axes,the lower portions of said blades moving in advance of the upperportions thereof when the vessel is moving forward, substantially asdescribed.

4. In combination with the hull of a vessel having the twowheel-receiving recesses at its stern on opposite sides thereof, thehorizontally-rotating wheels in such recesses, each wheel having itsblades set at an angle to the wheel-axis and with their upper and outerportions curved over in a direction opposite to the incline of theblade, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. In combination with the hull of a vessel having the twowheel-receiving recesses at opposite sides of its stern, thehorizontally- The steering of the vessel can also rotating Wheels insuch recesses, each having its blades set at an angle to its axis,withtheir upper and outerportions bent over in a direction opposite to theinclination of the blade to the wheel-axis and their outer and lowercorners bent in a direction opposite to that of the bending of the upperand outer portions, and means for rotating the wheels, substantially asand for the purpose specified.

(3. In combination with the hull of a vessel having at opposite sides ofits stern the wheelreceiving recesses, with their inner walls curvedforward and outward and also inclined downward, and forward, thehorizontally-rotating wheels in such recesses, with blades toproject'beyond the outer sides of the recesses, and means for rotatingthe wheels, substantially as and for the purpose described.

7. In combination with the hull of a vessel having at its stern theopposite recesses,witl1 their inner walls curved forward and outward andinclined downward and forward, the horizontally-rotating wheels in therecesses, each wheel having its blades set on its hub at an angle to itsaxis and the upper and lower outer portions bent or inclined in oppositedirections with reference to the main portions of the blades, and meansfor rotating the wheels, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

8. In combination with the hull of a vessel having the twowheel-receiving recessesthe horizontally-rotating wheels in suchrecesses, the shafts carrying the wheels, bearings for the upperportions of the shafts adapted to support the weight of the shafts andwheels and take up all upward thrust of the shafts, a shoe belowthewheel-recesses, bearings on such shoe for the lower ends of thewheelshafts, and suitable gearing for rotating the shafts, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this25th day of January, 1889.

REINHARD BUCHER.

